Temperature responsive clutch for an engine-cooling fan and the like

Claim 1

A TEMPERATURE RESPONSIVE FAN ARRANGEMENT FOR AN AUTOMOTIVE ENGINE AND THE LIKE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) A DRIVEN CLUTCH MEMBER HAVING AN AXIS OF ROTATION AND DEFINING A CAVITY THEREIN, SAID DRIVEN CLUTCH MEMBER HAVING AN ENGAGEABLE FACE SYMMETRICAL WITH RESPECT TO SAID AXIS IN SAID CAVITY; (B) BEARING MEANS IN SAID CAVITY; (C) A DRIVING CLUTCH MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID BEARING MEANS FOR ROTATION ABOUT SAID AXIS; (D) A PLURALITY OF TWO-ARMED LEVER MEMBERS MOUNTED ON SAID DRIVING CLUTCH MEMBER FOR TILTING MOVEMENT ABOUT RESPECTIVE FIXED PIVOT AXES IN RESPECTIVE AXIALLY EXTENDING PLANES ANGULARLY SPACED ABOUT SAID AXIS, (1) ONE ARM OF EACH LEVER MEMBER BEING RADIALLY ADJACENT SAID AXIS AND AXIALLY REMOTE FROM SAID ENGAGEABLE FACE, AND (2) THE OTHER ARM OF EACH LEVER MEMBER BEING RADIALLY REMOTE FROM SAID AXIS AND AXIALLY ADJACENT SAID ENGAGEABLE FACE; (E) A FRICTION MEMBER MOUNTED ON EACH OF SAID OTHER ARMS IN SAID CAVITY FOR JOINT TILTING MOVEMENT WITH THE ASSOCIATED LEVER MEMBER TOWARD AND AWAY FROM A POSITION OF FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FACE DURING SAID TILTING MOVEMENT OF THE ASSOCIATED LEVER MEMBER, EACH LEVER MEMBER CONSTITUTING THE SOLE MEANS CONNECTING SAID FRICTION MEMBER TO SAID DRIVING CLUTCH MEMBER; (F) THERMOSTAT MEANS INCLUDING AN ACTUATING MEMBER AXIALLY ALIGNED WITH SAID BEARING MEANS AND MOUNTED ON SAID DRIVING CLUTCH MEMBER FOR AXIAL MOVEMENT IN RESPONSE TO CHANGES IN AMBIENT TEMPERATURE; (G) MOTION TRANSMITTING MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID ACTUATING MEMBER AND SAID OTHER ARMS FOR ACTUATING SAID TILTING MOVEMENT; AND (H) A FAN MOUNTED ON SAID DRIVING CLUTCH MEMBER.